100 years ago

April 13, 1916 — A report received Wednesday by State engineer Lewis from Prof. S.H. Graf of the Oregon Agricultural College, shows that volcanic cinders of Crook County possess little cementing power of themselves, and therefore, their use in an ordinary type of water bound macadam is not practicable.

The cinders are also so porous and brittle that they do not possess the necessary crushing strength to allow their use in cement or bituminous concrete roads. That a successful road might be built however by using the cinders as a foundation on top of which might be put a binder consisting of natural cinders, mixed in the proportion of the ordinary sheet asphalt, is indicated in the report.

75 years ago

April 10, 1941 — Central Oregon is about to become a closed potato area. Following hearings to be conducted April 22 by the State Department of Agriculture in the county courthouses of Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties, this territory in effect will become cut off from shipments of potatoes from the outside world as protection against bacterial ring rot. The move is not only defensive. It is also a play on the part of growers to take advantage of the biggest single opportunity the potato industry here has ever had — that of becoming the No. 1 seed area of the United States.

Growers of Deschutes potatoes met Monday night with the Powell Butte Farmers club to go over final arrangements. Present to lead the discussion were Frank McKennon, chief of the division of plant industry of the State Department of Agriculture, and Prof. G. R. Hyslop, of the extension service.

50 years ago

April 14, 1966 — Members of Powell Butte Farmers club, headed by president Don Snabel, were in Redmond on Tuesday publicizing their 32nd annual Spring Frolic, to be held Saturday evening, April 23, at Bend Armory.

Redmond merchants contributed very liberally toward prizes for the frolic and also bought many dance tickets, the delegation said.

Those in Redmond, in addition to Snabel, who is general chairman, were Ole Michel, Rod Johnson, Gene Hargis, and Arthur Horsell.

Proceeds from the frolic are used for civic and community projects all over Central Oregon, Snabel pointed out. Location of the dance is alternated between Prineville, Bend, and Redmond and each year a high school senior from the host town receives a $20 scholarship from the Powell Butte Farmers Club.

This year the scholarship will go to a Bend graduate.

25 years ago

April 10, 1991 — A large group of Redmond citizens is excited about investing in Redmond’s future.

More than 165 people ranging in age from fifth grade to the retired attended an action plan workshop last week to develop “the opportunity for youth in the area to be successful.” About one-third of the group consisted of youth.

Jeff Milligan, representative of Oregon’s Children and youth services division, told the group that “children are 25 percent of the present, but they are 100 percent of the future. We have got to protect the future.”

Through the town meeting format, a process that Milligan said “built the country,” concerned Redmond-area citizens outlined their concerns and began to develop a strategy — balanced between prevention and intervention — to deal with the problems.